Mon | May 13, 2024

Registrar General's Department honours long-serving staff

Published:Friday | December 19, 2014 | 12:00 AM
Pause
Chloris Redwood, who got a standing ovation from her colleagues, shows off her 32-year award for her service to the Registrar General's Department. - Photo by Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
Andrea Hylton (left) accepts her award for 30 years of service to the Registrar General's Department from Denise McFarlane. - Photo by Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
An elated Hortense Taylor (left) hoists her plaque signifying 28 years of service to the Registrar General's Department (RGD). Looking on is Sonia Jackson, chair of the RGD's advisory board. - Photo by Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
Sonia Jackson, chair of the Registrar General's Department advisory board, presents Recardo Redwood with his award for 27 years of service to the agency. - Photo by Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
Dale Ricketts (left) receives her award for 27 years of service to the Registrar General's Department from Sonia Jackson. - Photo by Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
Duke Brown gladly receives his award for 26 years of service to the Registrar General's Department from Sonia Jackson. - Photo by Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
1
2
3
4
5
6

Daviot Kelly, Staff Reporter

The Registrar General's Department (RGD) honoured 252 members of staff at its Long Service Awards Dinner on Saturday, December 13.

Exuberant staff packed into the Caymanas Golf and Country Club to cheer on their colleagues for a job well done. The event was the culmination of a series of events celebrating the entity's 135th anniversary. Chief executive officer of the RGD, Deirdre English Gosse, noted the agency's beginnings as a single office to now having 10 locations. She said, over the 135 years, the RGD has transformed and is steadfast in continuing that trend.

"We have seen years of great change, continued growth and rapid development," she said. She noted 2014 was tough, but they still made significant progress."

"I am very proud of what we have achieved and very appreciative of the all the hard work invested by our team," she said. "I thank you all for your continued commitment and all that you do to deliver on our mandate, the provision of excellent customer service to Jamaicans both local and overseas." English Gosse promised the agency will continue to invest in its employees.

"I truly believe the agency's strength is its people," she said. "We believe that success, both for employees and the agency, is determined by the employees' ability to provide excellent service. Please accept your reward as our sincere appreciation for your continued loyalty and dedication." Staff were awarded for between five and 32 years of service.

Speaking for the awardees, Chloris Redwood, one of the 32-year veterans of the RGD, said the journey was filled with great experiences, "from the old records office to the tents to the wonderful, decorated foyers in our 10 regional offices". She expressed the awardees' "sincere appreciation to management and staff for acknowledging our dedication and service to the nation and to those in the diaspora, in the midst of a challenging economy".

Service to nation

"But celebrations and fanfare are ways of easing the strains of our lives' regular schedule," she said. "We, the awardees, believe that if we continue to work smartly, in unity, of course we can achieve greater things. So we encourage you to take pride in service to your nation, even in your small corner."

daviot.kelly@gleanerjm.com